There are certain clients, galleries, & collectors that have a special place in a long photographic career. LOOK magazine was one. They had their own wonderful staff with Arthur Rothstein, Stanley Kubrick, Jim Karales, John Vachon and other great photographers. So why did they use a freelancer to do a certain project? They understood that each serious photographer has a special voice, and they wanted to match that voice to the story at hand. Usually the work went to a member of the staff, but sometimes a freelance would get the assignment, and so it happened that I was assigned to do an essay in 1957 on Mickey Rooney. He is still going strong and so am I.

Here’s how it worked with LOOK: A staff writer was assigned and would lay out a general plan for the story, making all the arrangements to facilitate the photography. Then the shooting began and writer morphed into a helper, doing whatever was necessary to make sure that the photographer could work without impediments. So far, nothing unusual. What was unusual happened after the shoot. They preferred freelancers to develop, edit and print the story. Then came a meeting with the managing editor (Dan Mich, I think) who would look at the prints, and take a quick look at the contacts. Then it went to the art department for layout. When the layout was completed you received a call from the art director Alan Hurlburt to come up to the office to give your comments on the spread. This was very unusual, and was not just a polite gesture. He really wanted to know if it worked the way you wanted it to work. If it didn’t, changes were made. So, that’s how it was done at LOOK. Oh, another thing… they wanted all rights to the work so that both staff and freelance photographs would be in their archive. That must sound familiar to the photographers working today, but there is a difference..they paid triple the going rate for the additional rights!

When LOOK closed it’s doors, the entire archive was donated to the Library of Congress by the Cowles family where it is being properly archived under Barbara O. Natanson, Head, Reference Section Prints & Photographs Division, Library of Congress. Barbara’s note that she could not lend me the negative, but could send me a high res scan of my Mickey Rooney photograph was fine. There was also a mention about it’s being thin and slightly scratched, but I was too excited to care.

So, here’s the picture, it’s 51 years old.

Mickey Rooney at NBC studio, NYC 1957 © George S. Zimbel

When we moved from the farm to Montreal in the 1980’s, we really enjoyed the return to urban life  but still had a longing for trees, water, and the quiet of the country. Did I mention fishing?

We found a wonderful chalet that was was minimalist in upkeep, but spacious & comfortable. [Also would make a great studio…big windows in the roof. ]

We now seem to be too busy to really enjoy it, so it is up for sale. For a first look, go to:
The Zimbel Chalet
An then call Elaine for further details. (514 849 5565)

Woman with reference cards 1960’s ©George S. Zimbel 1962/2008

Trying to reorganise my filing system, I found a negative of a woman with file cards…the pre-computer way to find books in a library. I scanned it and put it in a “special place” until I had time to print . Of course I couldn’t find it when I was ready to print. “Special places” are great for hiding stuff. I don’t give up and I don’t really loose negatives, so last week when it surfaced I headed for the darkroom and made a small edition (6) of 11/14″ prints. You can order one from me or any of my good dealers .  I won’t reprint it. I am satisfied that it is now exists .

A Photographer’s Welcome - Catalunya Music Palace , Barcelona 2008

My exhibition, “Energy” opened at Kowasa Gallery in Barcelona on 9 April and will be on the wall until 31 May.

The day before the exhibit opened , Elaine and I were visiting the Catalunya Music Palace and were planning to have lunch in the courtyard. There were no chairs available and one of the other guests at a nearby table went inside and brought us chairs. I said gracias and gave him an invitation to the exhibit. Then I went to make a phone call.

When I came back this was my reception . The gentleman and his daughter came to the opening…she is a photography student.

Almost everyone agrees that having one shot of scotch can be a pleasure, but ten shots will be a disaster. The same can be said of taking photographs.

I am not talking about photographers who are on assignment.. they have many demands that have nothing to do with wonderful photographs and yet they very often they produce wonderful photographs.

I am talking about serious photography, either amateur or professional. I am talking about a serious connection with your subject and serious understanding of when the elements are in place for your photograph.

Digital diahhrea is a disease for which there is a simple cure. Take one frame of a scene. It is exquisite training for your eye and your brain. Try it for a month. Then try it for another month…then try it for another month…..

I have always wondered why Garry Winogrand left this world with a filing cabinet full of undeveloped rolls of film. (That’s him with his hands up.) I told John Szarkowski that he would not have wanted them developed, but I was overruled. That’s ok.

In the early days we hung out together. He always wanted to see what a day’s shooting looked like. In the fifties, we just used a magnifier to look at the negatives as soon as they were dry…contact sheets were a pain and we could read negatives.

Now I think I know why he left those films. I won’t be presumptuous and say I do know, but will offer this explanation because I am experiencing it myself.

After more than 60 years of shooting it is difficult to rationally add another roll of negatives to the binders in my fireproof safe. I print my own work and am ten years behind. You could suggest that I get a printer but that is not my style. I believe that Garry had a printer, but at one point even that doesn’t matter. It’s the old fashioned equivalent of the massive amount of information you get on your computer. You just can’t process it.

I still see photographs, but I don’t necessarily shoot them. Garry kept on shooting. Maybe he was more of an optimist than me.

I have enough chosen negatives to keep me busy for years to come…I hope!
I wish that he was here to have the same option.

george
montreal 2008

ps: Don’t believe everything you read. [I was shooting this afternoon.]

I have lived with her for 53 years and am still interested in what she has to say.
If you would like to know, go to : elainezimbel.com
It is a very interesting trip. …george